It's been a month or so since I last gave you on update on the Friends of Serenity adventure. We are flying along with our fund-raising efforts, with almost £15,000 raised to date. Plenty of people as well as myself are getting involved in challenges and the like and it is fantastic to see so many folks rallying to the cause. Check out the Recent News section of the Friends of Serenity website for more information, and to find a cause to donate to if you want to contribute.
As for myself, well its that time again when a big raft of challenges get booked and I start to worry that I maybe need to get a bit more training done!! My Silly Challenges website has all the information about what I'm doing and when, please go and check out the extent of my crazy ideas for the next few months.
What is coming up soon? Well touch wood I will FINALLY be doing Challenge #6 which is the 1.5km long Snowdon Zipline. Check out the website to see this amazing experience and also check out some of the other cool things they offer (hint: it involves underground trampolines). Challenge #6 is scheduled for Friday, I'll keep you posted.
Challenge #14 will be on 20th July - the Asda Foundation Leeds 10km and the next mud run will be on the 2nd August. We've plenty more to come in the rest of the year; a 10 km "wet" obstacle race, Tough Mudder, Spartan and a repeat of Manchester Men's Health. All good fun and plenty to keep me fit.
In addition check out my latest news post with a bit of information about a new mud/obstacle racing team that I've joined. Team Primal is brand new and we really looking forward to getting some quality training in before tackling some great events. These things are always better with friends after all.
So that is where we are at the moment. I'll have a full review of Challenge #6 on Friday if it goes according to plan. In the meantime, try something fun and different yourself - it's well worth the effort!!
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 30 June 2014
Saturday, 28 June 2014
Learning Online
I successfully completed my very first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) the other week, and with a 92% final grade too - which proves I've still retained some smarts despite everything!! For those of you who haven't encountered MOOCs before I shall quote the Wikipedia entry for you;
A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC; /muːk/) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via theweb. In addition to traditional course materials such as videos, readings, and problem sets, MOOCs provide interactive user forums that help build a community for students, professors, and teaching assistants (TAs). MOOCs are a recent development in distance education which began to emerge in 2012.
In simple terms, they are online "modules" in various topics that can be bundled together or taken individually. Most of the time you can do the course for free but if you want a certificate then you often have to pay a small fee for one. Typically the duration is 6-8 weeks with about 3-4 hours per week of work required (depending on your pre-existing knowledge and your ambitions).
There are several well established course providers online such as edX, Coursera and FutureLearn (an Open University initiative) and the list of Universities who offer courses through these providers is impressive, including such heavyweights as MIT, Harvard, Edinburgh and Warwick. I've found the range of courses available to be impressive too, there is definitely something for everyone.
QUICK REVIEW
The one I recently completed was an 8 week course called Tropical Coastal Ecosystems run by the University of Queensland on the edX platform. This was one of those that actually gives you a nice shiny certificate for free, which was nice.
The course itself appears pretty typical of most of the MOOCs I've seen; weekly lectures and lecture questions which account for maybe 25% of the marks, homework each week which accounts for maybe 50% of the marks in total and a final exam/project for the remaining 25% ish.
This was a very enjoyable course from start to finish, it is a really nice balance of topics concerning both the science of these environments but also the challenges associated with maintaining and preserving. I didn't find it too challenging but definitely learnt loads and found it fascinating from start to finish. It does take a bit of work and you can't just breeze through it but it is definitely one worth having a pop at.
So go check out those websites, find something that interests you and treat yourself to a bit of intellectual stimulation. It is great fun and you never know what you might find out.
Till next time,
DT
A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC; /muːk/) is an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via theweb. In addition to traditional course materials such as videos, readings, and problem sets, MOOCs provide interactive user forums that help build a community for students, professors, and teaching assistants (TAs). MOOCs are a recent development in distance education which began to emerge in 2012.
In simple terms, they are online "modules" in various topics that can be bundled together or taken individually. Most of the time you can do the course for free but if you want a certificate then you often have to pay a small fee for one. Typically the duration is 6-8 weeks with about 3-4 hours per week of work required (depending on your pre-existing knowledge and your ambitions).
There are several well established course providers online such as edX, Coursera and FutureLearn (an Open University initiative) and the list of Universities who offer courses through these providers is impressive, including such heavyweights as MIT, Harvard, Edinburgh and Warwick. I've found the range of courses available to be impressive too, there is definitely something for everyone.
QUICK REVIEW
The one I recently completed was an 8 week course called Tropical Coastal Ecosystems run by the University of Queensland on the edX platform. This was one of those that actually gives you a nice shiny certificate for free, which was nice.
The course itself appears pretty typical of most of the MOOCs I've seen; weekly lectures and lecture questions which account for maybe 25% of the marks, homework each week which accounts for maybe 50% of the marks in total and a final exam/project for the remaining 25% ish.
This was a very enjoyable course from start to finish, it is a really nice balance of topics concerning both the science of these environments but also the challenges associated with maintaining and preserving. I didn't find it too challenging but definitely learnt loads and found it fascinating from start to finish. It does take a bit of work and you can't just breeze through it but it is definitely one worth having a pop at.
So go check out those websites, find something that interests you and treat yourself to a bit of intellectual stimulation. It is great fun and you never know what you might find out.
Till next time,
DT
Friday, 27 June 2014
Things that happen: Part 3 - Reaction
A little bit later than originally planned but time for Part 3 of my little blog mini-series about events and their impacts.
I've already looked at two critical elements for determining the overall effect that a particular event might have, namely the context and the timing. I now want to look at the third important element, possibly the most vital of them all, which is reaction.
In terms of our ability to affect and control the impact of events we have a much more limited influence on timing and context. Yes we can anticipate events and try to alter the profile of an impact, so to speak, but we generally have very little control over these aspects. Reaction on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish.
The impact of an event is often only as important or as unimportant as WE choose to make it. I'm not saying shitty things don't happen or that everything can be fixed with a "can do" attitude. I'm just saying that often our reaction to an event can be the most important factor in determining the impact or severity of that event. Perspective and a hint of positivity can go a long way.
It is difficult sometimes obviously. Not everything can be dealt with positively, and not everything should be. There are certain events for which there is no rational and logical approach. Some things need to be cried about, some things ARE the end of the world and some things should be taken seriously. But it is important to always remember that your reaction is one of the things that define an event and often a sense of proportion can be lost when reactions are, well, "poor".
I have been terrible in that past at this. My reaction to certain things is a big part of the reason I am where I am. There were things that, looking back now, I got terribly terribly wrong. Events that were difficult were made impossible and events that were trivial were made difficult. Situations that should have been easy to solve became difficult and my life ended up taking a path it probably didn't have to.
The most important thing is to learn to recognise HOW your behaviour and reaction to an event can affect its impact, even after the event has happened. This is not something that is particular common in nature where cause tends to lead to effect with no place for post-event "control". But we have the ability and the power to shape that effect, to make it what we need it to be and not just a function of the factors which caused it.
This is why I think our reaction to things is even more important than the timing or the context. We can have a direct influence on things (both for good and for bad) and I think too many people don't understand that. Or maybe they sub-consciously don't enjoy the responsibility. A lot of people are too quick to complain when everything goes against them without realising that a lot of the time (not all of the time I grant you) their reaction to things can actually greatly influence the net impact. Maybe they like being able to blame something rather than face the (sometimes difficult) choice of what can be done about it.
I have found it a very important step at dealing with my bipolar. Sometimes it can feel like the world is spiralling away from you and there is nothing you can do about it. You feel trapped, isolated and complete helpless. But that doesn't have to be the case all the time. There are things we can do about it, things we can control which can help with managing the situations.
Positivity and an understanding that WE have a much greater say in things than we sometimes believe is a small step of the way. And if we also become better at finding a sense of perspective and taking some responsibility for events then I genuinely think we can make a difference.
So always remember, events are shaped by causes - but they are often shaped just as importantly by how WE react to them and how we choose to allow the consequences and impacts to manifest.
Till next time,
DT
I've already looked at two critical elements for determining the overall effect that a particular event might have, namely the context and the timing. I now want to look at the third important element, possibly the most vital of them all, which is reaction.
In terms of our ability to affect and control the impact of events we have a much more limited influence on timing and context. Yes we can anticipate events and try to alter the profile of an impact, so to speak, but we generally have very little control over these aspects. Reaction on the other hand, is a different kettle of fish.
The impact of an event is often only as important or as unimportant as WE choose to make it. I'm not saying shitty things don't happen or that everything can be fixed with a "can do" attitude. I'm just saying that often our reaction to an event can be the most important factor in determining the impact or severity of that event. Perspective and a hint of positivity can go a long way.
It is difficult sometimes obviously. Not everything can be dealt with positively, and not everything should be. There are certain events for which there is no rational and logical approach. Some things need to be cried about, some things ARE the end of the world and some things should be taken seriously. But it is important to always remember that your reaction is one of the things that define an event and often a sense of proportion can be lost when reactions are, well, "poor".
I have been terrible in that past at this. My reaction to certain things is a big part of the reason I am where I am. There were things that, looking back now, I got terribly terribly wrong. Events that were difficult were made impossible and events that were trivial were made difficult. Situations that should have been easy to solve became difficult and my life ended up taking a path it probably didn't have to.
The most important thing is to learn to recognise HOW your behaviour and reaction to an event can affect its impact, even after the event has happened. This is not something that is particular common in nature where cause tends to lead to effect with no place for post-event "control". But we have the ability and the power to shape that effect, to make it what we need it to be and not just a function of the factors which caused it.
This is why I think our reaction to things is even more important than the timing or the context. We can have a direct influence on things (both for good and for bad) and I think too many people don't understand that. Or maybe they sub-consciously don't enjoy the responsibility. A lot of people are too quick to complain when everything goes against them without realising that a lot of the time (not all of the time I grant you) their reaction to things can actually greatly influence the net impact. Maybe they like being able to blame something rather than face the (sometimes difficult) choice of what can be done about it.
I have found it a very important step at dealing with my bipolar. Sometimes it can feel like the world is spiralling away from you and there is nothing you can do about it. You feel trapped, isolated and complete helpless. But that doesn't have to be the case all the time. There are things we can do about it, things we can control which can help with managing the situations.
Positivity and an understanding that WE have a much greater say in things than we sometimes believe is a small step of the way. And if we also become better at finding a sense of perspective and taking some responsibility for events then I genuinely think we can make a difference.
So always remember, events are shaped by causes - but they are often shaped just as importantly by how WE react to them and how we choose to allow the consequences and impacts to manifest.
Till next time,
DT
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Slight change of plans
Tonight was supposed to Part 3 of my little mini-series but unfortunately something has come up so I won't get to writing a new post today. I'll do it tomorrow instead :-)
To fill the gap I'm going to cheat MASSIVELY and re-use a post from a good few years ago. I've seriously been neglecting my live music fix this year and am hoping I should be able to get to a few gigs before Christmas if I get my ass in gear. To try and inspire me, I dug out my "best gigs I've ever been to" post and have shamelessly copied it here. I think it is still relevant and hopefully will get you thinking about yours.
#8 Madness – Nynex Arena, Manchester
My very first live music gig (if you don’t count classical music spectaculars at Tatton Park
#7 Newton Manchester
Occasionally an act comes along that you simply need to experience live in order to appreciate how talented they are and to get a better understanding of what they and their music are all about. Newton Faulkner is that guy. First things first, he is good, very good. He is even better live. It is not just the music but the whole ambience and good old fashioned “down-to-earthiness” he brings which makes him so appealing.
He is busy (playing almost every sound himself via a bizarre arrangement of contraptions), he is conversational throughout and he appears to be having just as much fun playing to the audience as the audience is watching him. The Lowry was the perfect setting too, feeling slightly more intimate than an outdoor stage or big venue yet with exceptional acoustics which really enhanced the full range of sounds and tones Newton brings. Oh and he looks a bit like Sideshow Bob!
He is busy (playing almost every sound himself via a bizarre arrangement of contraptions), he is conversational throughout and he appears to be having just as much fun playing to the audience as the audience is watching him. The Lowry was the perfect setting too, feeling slightly more intimate than an outdoor stage or big venue yet with exceptional acoustics which really enhanced the full range of sounds and tones Newton brings. Oh and he looks a bit like Sideshow Bob!
#6 The Proclaimers – T in the Park (2003)
Sometimes a good gig can be made as much by the company you are in as the band themselves. T in the Park 2003 was a festival that will forever live in the memory; I have more stories to tell from those 3 days deep in the countryside than from every other festival put together. This day particularly there was a buzz in the air, it was 30+ degrees and the sun was shining.
Mid afternoon found a group of about 6-8 of us standing at the 2nd stage at T in the Park surrounded by thousands of (mainly) Scots dancing like a bunch of absolute monkeys to I’m Gonna Be (500 miles). We danced like that for the best part of an hour, basking in the simple pleasures of good old-fashioned tunes you can sing your heart out to and the after effects of too much Tennents, Buckfast and general revellery from the night before.
Mid afternoon found a group of about 6-8 of us standing at the 2nd stage at T in the Park surrounded by thousands of (mainly) Scots dancing like a bunch of absolute monkeys to I’m Gonna Be (500 miles). We danced like that for the best part of an hour, basking in the simple pleasures of good old-fashioned tunes you can sing your heart out to and the after effects of too much Tennents, Buckfast and general revellery from the night before.
#5 Ocean Colour Scene – Manchester
I’m a big believer that going to see a band live should be a completely different experience when compared to listening to an album by yourself at home. It’s a vastly contrasting environment and the last thing you want is to simply hear the album as you would at home. EXCEPT this time. Ocean Colour Scene’s “Moseley Shoals” Tour was the antithesis of everything I’ve just said, and it was brilliant. Despite knowing (for the first ¾ of the gig anyway) exactly what was coming next the sense of excitement was still there throughout.
From the opening bars of Riverboat Song, through Day We Caught the Train and The Circle and on into some of the lesser known gems towards the end of the album, this was an example of how to keep it simple and yet it was an absolute triumph. Sometimes, when an album is this good, just play the damn thing from start to finish. Oh, and the “extra” tunes after the break didn’t exactly let the side down either.
From the opening bars of Riverboat Song, through Day We Caught the Train and The Circle and on into some of the lesser known gems towards the end of the album, this was an example of how to keep it simple and yet it was an absolute triumph. Sometimes, when an album is this good, just play the damn thing from start to finish. Oh, and the “extra” tunes after the break didn’t exactly let the side down either.
#4 Foo Fighters – Leeds Festival (2002)
Nirvana were ones of those bands that I was generally aware of without really knowing a great deal of their stuff. Every knew Kurt Cobain and his story but a couple of years before I’d caught a few songs from a band called the Foo Fighters lead by someone that one of my friends described as “the REALLY talented one out of Nirvana”. It was decent enough and between that 2000 show and this one I’d bought everything they had ever recorded and was fully ready for the follow-up.
What I wasn’t ready for was Dave Grohl’s energy, enthusiasm and considerable talent. Make no mistake, this is no drummer who ended up leading a band by a curious set of circumstances, Dave Grohl is as good a front man as there is out right now. He is multi-talented (just check out the Foo’s first album where he plays everything himself), a real showman and a seemingly genuinely likeable guy who doesn’t appear to take himself too seriously, no doubt influenced by the torment from seeing Cobain destroyed by the same thing.
On this night he and the band were simply magnificent and this was a tour de force of live grunge/soft rock. From the opening choppy guitar work at the start of All My Life through classics such as Monkey Wrench, Learn to Fly and My Hero to the sensational encore consisting of the acoustic, haunting Tired of You and the magnificence of Everlong this was breathtaking.
What I wasn’t ready for was Dave Grohl’s energy, enthusiasm and considerable talent. Make no mistake, this is no drummer who ended up leading a band by a curious set of circumstances, Dave Grohl is as good a front man as there is out right now. He is multi-talented (just check out the Foo’s first album where he plays everything himself), a real showman and a seemingly genuinely likeable guy who doesn’t appear to take himself too seriously, no doubt influenced by the torment from seeing Cobain destroyed by the same thing.
On this night he and the band were simply magnificent and this was a tour de force of live grunge/soft rock. From the opening choppy guitar work at the start of All My Life through classics such as Monkey Wrench, Learn to Fly and My Hero to the sensational encore consisting of the acoustic, haunting Tired of You and the magnificence of Everlong this was breathtaking.
#3 The Prodigy – V Festival (2005)
Three years after seeing a pretty disappointing Prodigy set at Leeds Festival I didn’t have massive hopes for this gig but the alternative was the Scissor Sisters and (with all due respect) there wasn’t much of a conversation to be had. What a decision. Part of Prodigy’s 10 year celebrations, this was simply mind-blowing from the opening notes through 90 minutes of bedlam to a jaw-dropping finish on Smack My Bitch Up and Outer Space. Every band member was on top form and the razor sharp performances still bring a tingle all these years later. Fireworks were going off, the whole place absolutely buzzed from start to finish and words really can’t articulate what it felt to be in that crowd that night.
#2 Muse – Lancashire CCC (2010)
I am an unashamed Muse fan. I have everything they have ever released and have seen them numerous times in concert spanning the years and all the studio albums. Of all the Muse gigs though, something about this early September evening at Old Trafford CC will live in the memory for a long time. I was expecting great things and was not disappointed. As the sun set over the stage; the explosion of noise, sound and vibrancy started and didn’t stop for nigh on 2 hours.
Matt Bellamy’s haunting voice transcends the whole thing but these guys really are a perfect combination of power and finesse and are masters of performance. Song after song was performed to perfection with the patented Muse touches; think long solos, huge sing-a-longs, expertly choreographed lights/effects and a playlist picked to perfection with the ideal balance of new, old, slow and fast. This was a band at the absolute height of their powers.
Matt Bellamy’s haunting voice transcends the whole thing but these guys really are a perfect combination of power and finesse and are masters of performance. Song after song was performed to perfection with the patented Muse touches; think long solos, huge sing-a-longs, expertly choreographed lights/effects and a playlist picked to perfection with the ideal balance of new, old, slow and fast. This was a band at the absolute height of their powers.
#1 Oasis – Reading Festival (2000)
My first festival, first night headliners, pouring rain, electrical thunderstorm going off all around the venue. This was, quite simply, the greatest set or gig I have ever had the privilege to witness. It was mind-blowing, nerve-tingling and almost life-alteringly good. They’ve had their ups and downs but on this August night in a field in Southern England , Oasis were simply transcendent. This was live music at its absolute pinnacle, nothing else seemed to matter except to be there and soak in every single minute. They were simply epic from start to finish.
Every time I hear Don’t Look Back in Anger my whole body shivers as I remember this night. Noel barely sang a word of it; he didn’t need to as the crowd sang it for him. Champagne Supernova would have lifted every roof off every venue in the world bar none and the sing-along to Wonderwall could probably have been heard around the globe. For a 20 year old (at the time) Mancunian this was seminal. Possibly I will never see or hear the like again but to have witnessed something like this just once is enough.
So there you have it. 8 amazing gigs for 8 very different reasons. Hopefully that has inspired you to get out and get listening to some live music, it really is the way forward.
Till tomorrow,
DT
Every time I hear Don’t Look Back in Anger my whole body shivers as I remember this night. Noel barely sang a word of it; he didn’t need to as the crowd sang it for him. Champagne Supernova would have lifted every roof off every venue in the world bar none and the sing-along to Wonderwall could probably have been heard around the globe. For a 20 year old (at the time) Mancunian this was seminal. Possibly I will never see or hear the like again but to have witnessed something like this just once is enough.
So there you have it. 8 amazing gigs for 8 very different reasons. Hopefully that has inspired you to get out and get listening to some live music, it really is the way forward.
Till tomorrow,
DT
Monday, 23 June 2014
Things that happen: Part 2 - Context
Part 2 of my little mini-series concerning events and their impacts. Last time I talked about the importance of timing and how that can influence the overall actual impact of an event. But often just as important as timing is the context of an event, the background against which that event might take place.
Things are rarely black and white. It is rarely the case that something is completely one thing or the other. Shades of grey permeate all aspects of our life - not THOSE shades of grey though, I'll be steering well clear of those! And it is the same with events, the context is so important to determining the impact which a particular occurrence will ultimately have.
The first thing to remember with events is that the impact will be inherently different for all observers of that event. For example, the impact of a train delay is inextricably linked to your other travel plans. A minor train delay can have essentially one of three major impacts (1) it might make you late for your next connection - negative impact (2) your previous connection was late but the delay has allowed you to make this connection - positive impact (3) you don't have a connection - neutral impact. One event, three contexts and so three net impacts.
But there are other scenarios in which context is vital. Some occurrences of the "same" event can have vastly different impacts dependent on the other conditions and criteria. For example, losing your keys is usually much more of a concern when you are trying to get into somewhere as opposed to getting out. The critical event is essentially identical but the impact is significantly less in one scenario than the other.
We have to be careful to take context into account when analysing an event and the impact it is having. The same event won't always have the same impact. The severity of the impact is also subject to the context - we are back again at shades of grey rather than a black and white view of things.
One of the things I know I have been poor at in the past is overreaction - overplaying the impact of something without stopping to really think about the context. Treating things as a "disaster" without really taking the time to actually consider what the impact really was. I know it used to drive Nat crazy and I can definitely understand where she was coming from on that front!!
So it is key to take a step back from events and assess the impact properly. Don't just assume that the impact is always the same for similar events and try to consider the positive contextual aspects as well as concentrating on the fact that it could be a disaster. And also think about the scale of the impact, as it is rarely at one end or the other.
I touched last week on events in which time and context were both key factors in determining an overall impact and in truth it is more often the case that the impact is a function of both of these rather than just one.. Rarely do you have time without context (or vice-versa) and the interplay between the two is important in determining the overall impact.
Timing and context are both inherent factors to an event and you often don't have a significant amount of real influence on these. Usually the best you can do is try to prepare and to minimise the negative impact from the event. This leads on to the factor that I want to talk about next time, the reaction to an event.
In many ways this is the key element, as this is the one that you have the most control over and the one that you can manipulate with a much higher degree of freedom. So in the next blog I will look at this, at how the event impact can actually be shaped by what takes place AFTERWARDS, rather than before and during.
Hope you are enjoying this little mini-series. I'm hoping to do a few more along similar lines so any feedback you have would be great. You can either make comments at the bottom or if not then drop me an email at doctortomowens@gmail.com - it will make a nice change from offers of 2 for 1 spa days and emails from my long lost "relatives" in various countries I'm not 100% sure exist!
Till next time,
DT
Things are rarely black and white. It is rarely the case that something is completely one thing or the other. Shades of grey permeate all aspects of our life - not THOSE shades of grey though, I'll be steering well clear of those! And it is the same with events, the context is so important to determining the impact which a particular occurrence will ultimately have.
The first thing to remember with events is that the impact will be inherently different for all observers of that event. For example, the impact of a train delay is inextricably linked to your other travel plans. A minor train delay can have essentially one of three major impacts (1) it might make you late for your next connection - negative impact (2) your previous connection was late but the delay has allowed you to make this connection - positive impact (3) you don't have a connection - neutral impact. One event, three contexts and so three net impacts.
But there are other scenarios in which context is vital. Some occurrences of the "same" event can have vastly different impacts dependent on the other conditions and criteria. For example, losing your keys is usually much more of a concern when you are trying to get into somewhere as opposed to getting out. The critical event is essentially identical but the impact is significantly less in one scenario than the other.
We have to be careful to take context into account when analysing an event and the impact it is having. The same event won't always have the same impact. The severity of the impact is also subject to the context - we are back again at shades of grey rather than a black and white view of things.
One of the things I know I have been poor at in the past is overreaction - overplaying the impact of something without stopping to really think about the context. Treating things as a "disaster" without really taking the time to actually consider what the impact really was. I know it used to drive Nat crazy and I can definitely understand where she was coming from on that front!!
So it is key to take a step back from events and assess the impact properly. Don't just assume that the impact is always the same for similar events and try to consider the positive contextual aspects as well as concentrating on the fact that it could be a disaster. And also think about the scale of the impact, as it is rarely at one end or the other.
I touched last week on events in which time and context were both key factors in determining an overall impact and in truth it is more often the case that the impact is a function of both of these rather than just one.. Rarely do you have time without context (or vice-versa) and the interplay between the two is important in determining the overall impact.
Timing and context are both inherent factors to an event and you often don't have a significant amount of real influence on these. Usually the best you can do is try to prepare and to minimise the negative impact from the event. This leads on to the factor that I want to talk about next time, the reaction to an event.
In many ways this is the key element, as this is the one that you have the most control over and the one that you can manipulate with a much higher degree of freedom. So in the next blog I will look at this, at how the event impact can actually be shaped by what takes place AFTERWARDS, rather than before and during.
Hope you are enjoying this little mini-series. I'm hoping to do a few more along similar lines so any feedback you have would be great. You can either make comments at the bottom or if not then drop me an email at doctortomowens@gmail.com - it will make a nice change from offers of 2 for 1 spa days and emails from my long lost "relatives" in various countries I'm not 100% sure exist!
Till next time,
DT
Saturday, 21 June 2014
Things that happen: Part 1 - Timing
Events simply happen, with little thought on their part to the impact. This is a fact of life, and one which certainly keeps things interesting for us all!
But events on their own are simply things that happen, it is the IMPACT of the events which is important. The impact is key and this can be significantly altered dependent on three things: 1) the timing of the event, 2) the context of the event and 3) the reaction to the event.
So I thought I'd do a little mini-series looking at these three things and, probably more importantly, the interaction between them. No idea how it'll go so bear with me if you can!
So then, Timing.
You often hear the phrase "Timing is Everything". And, like all cliches, the reason you often hear it is because it is often correct. The timing of an event/incident is of critical importance to its impact.
The impact of the arrival of an unexpected bill for example may depend critically on whether you have just been paid. Timing.
Say I am at work and a calculation I have done needs to be re-checked. This is a vastly different scenario dependent on whether it needs to be issued today or in a month. Timing.
Those of you who know about the Buncefield Fire will appreciate the importance of timing in this incident. A series of explosions and their resulting fires caused signficant damage to 20 large fuel tanks as well as numerous buildings on site. There were no deaths and only 2 significant injuries. Why? The event occured at 6am in the morning so the site was mainly uninhabited. Timing.
So it becomes very apparent, very quickly, that the impact of an event is crucially and fundamentally dependent on the timing of the event itself. And this becomes important in managing these events and limiting these impacts. You often can't do anything about the event itself, it'll happen regardless. But you CAN influence its impact if you can control the timing of it, or at least understand the importance of the timing and put steps in to mitigate.
Often I feel we channel our energies in the wrong place when it comes to events. Instead of trying to stop them happening, sometimes (and I stress SOMETIMES) the trick might be to accept that it will happen and put the steps in place to limit the impact by controlling/understanding the timing.
But on the other side of the coin, I know it often isn't that simple. Timing is critical but it can also be heavily linked to the context of an event too. Take, for example, football and the oft-stated phrase "a good time to score". This is implying that (although all goals are worth the same) the timing of a goal is a critical factor in its importance. No doubt this is true in some situations, but the context is important too. A last minute penalty is worth a bit more at 0-0 in a World Cup Final than at 3-0 down versus the Dog and Duck on a Sunday.
So the interaction between timing and context is important here, and this is something I want to touch on in a bit more depth in a later part of this series. Tomorrow I will look at the second factor which can determine the impact of an event, the Context. Hopefully enough of you will be back!
Till next time (no pun intended),
DT
But events on their own are simply things that happen, it is the IMPACT of the events which is important. The impact is key and this can be significantly altered dependent on three things: 1) the timing of the event, 2) the context of the event and 3) the reaction to the event.
So I thought I'd do a little mini-series looking at these three things and, probably more importantly, the interaction between them. No idea how it'll go so bear with me if you can!
So then, Timing.
You often hear the phrase "Timing is Everything". And, like all cliches, the reason you often hear it is because it is often correct. The timing of an event/incident is of critical importance to its impact.
The impact of the arrival of an unexpected bill for example may depend critically on whether you have just been paid. Timing.
Say I am at work and a calculation I have done needs to be re-checked. This is a vastly different scenario dependent on whether it needs to be issued today or in a month. Timing.
Those of you who know about the Buncefield Fire will appreciate the importance of timing in this incident. A series of explosions and their resulting fires caused signficant damage to 20 large fuel tanks as well as numerous buildings on site. There were no deaths and only 2 significant injuries. Why? The event occured at 6am in the morning so the site was mainly uninhabited. Timing.
So it becomes very apparent, very quickly, that the impact of an event is crucially and fundamentally dependent on the timing of the event itself. And this becomes important in managing these events and limiting these impacts. You often can't do anything about the event itself, it'll happen regardless. But you CAN influence its impact if you can control the timing of it, or at least understand the importance of the timing and put steps in to mitigate.
Often I feel we channel our energies in the wrong place when it comes to events. Instead of trying to stop them happening, sometimes (and I stress SOMETIMES) the trick might be to accept that it will happen and put the steps in place to limit the impact by controlling/understanding the timing.
But on the other side of the coin, I know it often isn't that simple. Timing is critical but it can also be heavily linked to the context of an event too. Take, for example, football and the oft-stated phrase "a good time to score". This is implying that (although all goals are worth the same) the timing of a goal is a critical factor in its importance. No doubt this is true in some situations, but the context is important too. A last minute penalty is worth a bit more at 0-0 in a World Cup Final than at 3-0 down versus the Dog and Duck on a Sunday.
So the interaction between timing and context is important here, and this is something I want to touch on in a bit more depth in a later part of this series. Tomorrow I will look at the second factor which can determine the impact of an event, the Context. Hopefully enough of you will be back!
Till next time (no pun intended),
DT
Thursday, 19 June 2014
A sense of perspective
Now this is something we really struggle with, particularly in the good old developed world. Tomorrow's papers here in the UK will be dominated by England's defeat in the World Cup, yet this really doesn't matter does it? It's a game at the end of the day, not life or death and certainly not worth the attention it receives, surely? But it is a difficult balance to strike. For some it is everything, for others a blip on the radar.
Personally I think it is healthy to have things you care about, and they don't always have to be the "serious" problems of the day. In some respects it is important to have these "lighter" outlets and these reminders that life shouldn't be taken too seriously. But we often then find ourselves in the bizarre position of then treating these "relaxing interludes" as being more important than the things we are trying not to take so seriously. Similiarly, but conversely, we can be overly relaxed about some items which maybe are more important than we first give them credit for.
So many things get distorted and twisted into such a position that they can seem like the end of the world - and to some people they are. To be fair, context is very important here. One person's life or death situation cna obviously correspond to something which doesn't even register on someone else's radar. It is hard for all of us to get that balance right and it is a something for which there is no right answer.
Everyone struggles with these things throughout life. We've all been guilty I'm sure of overplaying the importance of something in the past, equally I'm sure we've all had opportunity to look back and say "hmmm, maybe that was important after all!". Once again it is about balance though, as so many things in life are. Balance is something we all need, whether we realise it or not!
Passion is fantastic, having things to care about is a big part of life. Everything needs a context though I think that is where we can all do a bit better. There is nothing wrong with being devastated that England have lost tonight, but remember that there will be people who couldn't give two hoots. You might not care one jot about politics, but to others it is the whole world for example.
A sense of perspective helps to breed a culture of tolerance and understanding. Learning to appreciate what makes others tick and what others care about, without diluting your own passions and cares - that can go a long way to making the world a better place.
Till next time,
DT
Personally I think it is healthy to have things you care about, and they don't always have to be the "serious" problems of the day. In some respects it is important to have these "lighter" outlets and these reminders that life shouldn't be taken too seriously. But we often then find ourselves in the bizarre position of then treating these "relaxing interludes" as being more important than the things we are trying not to take so seriously. Similiarly, but conversely, we can be overly relaxed about some items which maybe are more important than we first give them credit for.
So many things get distorted and twisted into such a position that they can seem like the end of the world - and to some people they are. To be fair, context is very important here. One person's life or death situation cna obviously correspond to something which doesn't even register on someone else's radar. It is hard for all of us to get that balance right and it is a something for which there is no right answer.
Everyone struggles with these things throughout life. We've all been guilty I'm sure of overplaying the importance of something in the past, equally I'm sure we've all had opportunity to look back and say "hmmm, maybe that was important after all!". Once again it is about balance though, as so many things in life are. Balance is something we all need, whether we realise it or not!
Passion is fantastic, having things to care about is a big part of life. Everything needs a context though I think that is where we can all do a bit better. There is nothing wrong with being devastated that England have lost tonight, but remember that there will be people who couldn't give two hoots. You might not care one jot about politics, but to others it is the whole world for example.
A sense of perspective helps to breed a culture of tolerance and understanding. Learning to appreciate what makes others tick and what others care about, without diluting your own passions and cares - that can go a long way to making the world a better place.
Till next time,
DT
Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Working it out
Apologies for most of my current and future posts being in some way related to, or inspired by, the World Cup. I basically spent my time at the moment doing three things; working, eating and watching the football. I'm still attempting sleep but it might be one of those things I just accept I can't get the hang of!
Today's moment of inspiration came while watching the Spanish fail miserably to muster any sort of defence of their World Cup. The same Spain that have basically beaten all comers for the past eight years. They haven't changed much - yeah they are a touch older but surely that isn't the whole story? So what is the difference?
It appears to be good old fashioned evolution, though on a slightly quicker timescale. Other teams have worked out how they play and adapted to cope. Spain have stood still and everyone else has caught them up and overtaken them. In a relatively short space of time as well. It is a trait that never ceases to amaze me in our species.
Our speed of adaptability, the pace at which we process information and the way we problem solve is truly staggering. As I move into the next phase of my career I see it more and more often now - the process of assimilating data, formulating potential answers, testing those theories and then implementing the desired solution. We don't always get it right but our adaptability and ingenuity sometimes really does leave me amazed.
I wrote a post awhile ago bemoaning our inability to come up with new things and new ideas, instead preferring to rehash old ideas. I think a large part of that is still true and I suspect looking back that my frustration came more from a sense of knowing what we CAN achieve, but seem unable or unwilling to do so. The speed of thought and the scale of imagination are really quite spectacular when we feel the need or the inclination.
The trick with all these things is obviously to make sure you identify the correct problems to solve, and then don't be afraid to innovate, improvise and adapt. With that as the approach, we can probably work pretty much anything out. Certainly you don't want to be the ones caught standing still and watching.
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 16 June 2014
Living up to expectations
My starting point for this blog was the World Cup, which so far has definitely exceeded some pretty lofty expectations. Even the manner of England's defeat was actually relatively encouraging compared to the normal spine-crushing disappointment. But it got me thinking a bit about hype, about expectations and about the human condition which exists around these things.
I've always found it a curious facet of life that we do this, we heap pressure on something or someone and then look around bewildered when that pressure proves to be a burden too far. We hype something up into a frenzy and then wonder why the outcome didn't mean the heights we unfairly expected.
Developed countries (PARTICULARLY the United Kingdom) are notoriously bad at this when it comes to sporting events and personnel. I've lost count of the amount of events or people we have built up, only to see them come crashing down around our ears. There then tends to be a massive inquest into "what went wrong?" when the real question actually should be "how on earth did we realistically expect X to happen in the first place?"
The worst occurence of this however is the way we do it to ourselves. There is nothing wrong at all with setting yourself lofty expectations and goals (shoot for the stars etc..) but we lose sight of realism all too often and then needlessly punish ourselves. I have been guilty in the past of this to a stunning degree, pushing my expectations of myself too far and then crucifying myself when I didn't reach them. It has taken me a long time to become comfortable with what I can expect of myself and, by extension, others.
As I said before, there is nothing wrong with ambition, drive and determination. They are what defines the human condition in some respects. But the crucial aspect of these traits is to retain a sense of realism, a sense of what can actually be achieved.
I don't really subscribe to this theory that you can achieve anything if you set your mind to it. And I'm not saying this in a negative or pessimistic way, I'm not saying that you shouldn't shoot for the stars. Just pick our stars a bit more carefully so we don't burn out of fuel on the way there (how's the space analogy working for you there?).
It is often said that there is no greater pressure than that which we put on ourselves. I would go further and say that the ONLY pressure we need to overcome, the only expectations we really need to meet, are our own. I think it takes a real sense of identity to be able to do this, to know ourselves well enough to set realistic and achievable goals and then to meet them.
So next time something doesn't quite hit the heights you may have set for it just take a quick second to think whether what was being asked of something was realistic. You may find that with a bit of refining, everything can in fact live up to expectations quite handily indeed.
Till next time,
DT
Saturday, 14 June 2014
The simplest ideas are the best
There were six of us sat around the table in the bar watching the Brazil v Croatia game on Thursday night. The game was pottering along quite aimlessly until the first direct free kick was given - and we all turned an looked at each other. Absolute genius.
The game of football has been around in an organised manner for about 150 years or so. In all that time players have taken every opportunity to try and take an advantage when it comes to free kicks; moving the ball, encroaching within the ten yards etc...
Yet in about 5 seconds that was ended forever with possibly the simplest and yet greatest innovation football has come up with in quite a while. Yep, better than goal line techonology, better than the back-pass rule, better than 3 points for a win. Okay I'm possibly slight over-exaggerating here but you get my point.
A can of shaving foam, a couple of lines drawn on the ground in 5 secs flat and all debate has gone. That is your mark, in front of that and you get booked. That is where the ball is to be played from, move it and you get booked. Absolute genius! FIFA do not get my vote of confidence very often (if ever) but what a cracking idea.
It just proved that sometimes the simplest ideas really are the best. We spend so much time trying to be clever and innovative that we often don't notice the easiest solutions. Part of the issue comes from the fact that we often get distracted from what the problem we are trying to solve is. If we lose sight of that then we can end up with a convoluted answer to a question that wasn't actually the original question we asked.
So keep your thinking simple, work out what the problem ACTUALLY is and 9 times out of 10 I bet you come up with an idea that gets everyone thinking, "how on earth has no-one thought of that before?!" Genius doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to work.
Till next time,
DT
The game of football has been around in an organised manner for about 150 years or so. In all that time players have taken every opportunity to try and take an advantage when it comes to free kicks; moving the ball, encroaching within the ten yards etc...
Yet in about 5 seconds that was ended forever with possibly the simplest and yet greatest innovation football has come up with in quite a while. Yep, better than goal line techonology, better than the back-pass rule, better than 3 points for a win. Okay I'm possibly slight over-exaggerating here but you get my point.
A can of shaving foam, a couple of lines drawn on the ground in 5 secs flat and all debate has gone. That is your mark, in front of that and you get booked. That is where the ball is to be played from, move it and you get booked. Absolute genius! FIFA do not get my vote of confidence very often (if ever) but what a cracking idea.
It just proved that sometimes the simplest ideas really are the best. We spend so much time trying to be clever and innovative that we often don't notice the easiest solutions. Part of the issue comes from the fact that we often get distracted from what the problem we are trying to solve is. If we lose sight of that then we can end up with a convoluted answer to a question that wasn't actually the original question we asked.
So keep your thinking simple, work out what the problem ACTUALLY is and 9 times out of 10 I bet you come up with an idea that gets everyone thinking, "how on earth has no-one thought of that before?!" Genius doesn't have to be complicated, it just has to work.
Till next time,
DT
Friday, 13 June 2014
Featuring Doctor Tom
So I was asked by Jess (my sister's niece on her hubby's side of the family) to write a "guest post" to go on her blog that she has just started. If you have 5 minutes please go and have a read of it, I'm sure she'd be delighted with (a) the extra traffic (b) the recommendation from such a legend as myself - oi, no laughing at the back!!
Link here
I was amazed but I actually found writing a blog which was aimed at teen/young adults to be an absolutely frightening to do. No idea why on Earth that would be the case but it was definitely much much harder than putting something together for my own on here. It was on a topic which I never usually have much trouble talking about but even so it didn't come easily.
It is frequently the case I guess that doing something for someone else can be much alarming than for ourselves. What if I let them down? What if they hate it? When you are only doing something for you then the dynamic feels different somewhat. It feels kind of like; this is for me, by me and the "aftermath" only concerns me. Obviously that isn't always the case but it is common enough I think. I also do appreciate that it is only a certain type of personalilty that experiences these moments but I still find it fascinating nonetheless.
So anyway, enough of my ramblings for tonight. Go have a read of Jess's blog when you have a chance and see if you can spot my post. I will be claiming royalties for everytime it gets read so go nuts please!! :-D
Till next time,
DT
Link here
I was amazed but I actually found writing a blog which was aimed at teen/young adults to be an absolutely frightening to do. No idea why on Earth that would be the case but it was definitely much much harder than putting something together for my own on here. It was on a topic which I never usually have much trouble talking about but even so it didn't come easily.
It is frequently the case I guess that doing something for someone else can be much alarming than for ourselves. What if I let them down? What if they hate it? When you are only doing something for you then the dynamic feels different somewhat. It feels kind of like; this is for me, by me and the "aftermath" only concerns me. Obviously that isn't always the case but it is common enough I think. I also do appreciate that it is only a certain type of personalilty that experiences these moments but I still find it fascinating nonetheless.
So anyway, enough of my ramblings for tonight. Go have a read of Jess's blog when you have a chance and see if you can spot my post. I will be claiming royalties for everytime it gets read so go nuts please!! :-D
Till next time,
DT
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
REVIEW: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
I've never seen the film but it was obviously the recent transition to the big screen that brought Card's award-winning and well renowned take on the military and space adventure to the wider consciousness. Cautious though I sometimes am of big screen adaptations of the Sci-Fi genre I thought I would give it a try.
Synopsis
Set in the near-future it follows the story of Ender, boy born as a third child in a world where population is controlled and two is generally the maximum. But Ender was "requested" by the government because his genetic make-up shows promising signs of him being suitable to be trained up as a commander for the next phase of the ongoing war between the humans and the "buggers".
Ender's oldest sibling was deemed to be dangerously psychotic but his sister was described as being too passive. Ender was requested to be a balance in the middle.
The story focuses on Ender's training and deployment as well following his siblings and their roles in the ongoing political strife and turmoil back on Earth.
Verdict
I have to say that I was disappointed. I don't know whether it is that the book didn't deliver what I was expecting or something else but I just didn't take to this. It wasn't bad but it didn't grip me, pull me in or even excite me in any way beyond "this is OK".
I found that I didn't identify or empathise with any of the main characters and found some of their evolutions and their maturing through the book to be downright bizarre. I know that this is set in a universe outside our own parameters to an extent and therefore you have to approach things with an air of knowing that the same rules don't apply. But I found myself thinking that the likelihood of what happened with Peter and Valentine was stretching the limits of my credulity beyond the normal expected levels within this particular type of genre.
It was just that I found the concept of these two kids doing what they did and the world reacting in the way it did to be a bit, well to be honest, a bit far-fetched. Again, I know we are operating outside normal parameters but this felt too far outside the normal parameters and at odds with what I thought the rest of the book was looking at.
And as for the character of Ender, I just didn't get him. I understand the concept of what happens to him but I just didn't "feel" his reactions, his behaviour and his progression to be that natural. In fact I intensely disliked the guy by the end and (while anti-heroes aren't all sweetness and light) I don't think I was supposed to react to him in this way. Maybe that was the idea all along, but I doubt it?
The plot also felt stunted to me. There were lucid sections but a lot of it felt stapled together and I found the pacing to be frustrating and inconsistent. Again I had problems with Card setting up the universe in a certain way and then operating (what I felt was) outside these parameters. Maybe I was already biased at this point but I didn't find myself offering the benefit of the doubt when the story lapsed into quiet periods.
I didn't particularly enjoy the denouement either, it felt a bit forced and by then I admit I was just desperate to get through it!
So generally I didn't really take to Ender's Game. I know Card has written as vast amount of additional material set in this universe but to be honest I can't see me reading it. It is very rare for me to get into a universe and not become immersed but this just hasn't held my attention at all.
There are good elements and some of the descriptions and parts of the story/world were impressive, I just think there are better series out there and certainly better options for the big-screen treatment.
Verdict: 3 stars out of 5
Till next time,
DT
Synopsis
Set in the near-future it follows the story of Ender, boy born as a third child in a world where population is controlled and two is generally the maximum. But Ender was "requested" by the government because his genetic make-up shows promising signs of him being suitable to be trained up as a commander for the next phase of the ongoing war between the humans and the "buggers".
Ender's oldest sibling was deemed to be dangerously psychotic but his sister was described as being too passive. Ender was requested to be a balance in the middle.
The story focuses on Ender's training and deployment as well following his siblings and their roles in the ongoing political strife and turmoil back on Earth.
Verdict
I have to say that I was disappointed. I don't know whether it is that the book didn't deliver what I was expecting or something else but I just didn't take to this. It wasn't bad but it didn't grip me, pull me in or even excite me in any way beyond "this is OK".
I found that I didn't identify or empathise with any of the main characters and found some of their evolutions and their maturing through the book to be downright bizarre. I know that this is set in a universe outside our own parameters to an extent and therefore you have to approach things with an air of knowing that the same rules don't apply. But I found myself thinking that the likelihood of what happened with Peter and Valentine was stretching the limits of my credulity beyond the normal expected levels within this particular type of genre.
It was just that I found the concept of these two kids doing what they did and the world reacting in the way it did to be a bit, well to be honest, a bit far-fetched. Again, I know we are operating outside normal parameters but this felt too far outside the normal parameters and at odds with what I thought the rest of the book was looking at.
And as for the character of Ender, I just didn't get him. I understand the concept of what happens to him but I just didn't "feel" his reactions, his behaviour and his progression to be that natural. In fact I intensely disliked the guy by the end and (while anti-heroes aren't all sweetness and light) I don't think I was supposed to react to him in this way. Maybe that was the idea all along, but I doubt it?
The plot also felt stunted to me. There were lucid sections but a lot of it felt stapled together and I found the pacing to be frustrating and inconsistent. Again I had problems with Card setting up the universe in a certain way and then operating (what I felt was) outside these parameters. Maybe I was already biased at this point but I didn't find myself offering the benefit of the doubt when the story lapsed into quiet periods.
I didn't particularly enjoy the denouement either, it felt a bit forced and by then I admit I was just desperate to get through it!
So generally I didn't really take to Ender's Game. I know Card has written as vast amount of additional material set in this universe but to be honest I can't see me reading it. It is very rare for me to get into a universe and not become immersed but this just hasn't held my attention at all.
There are good elements and some of the descriptions and parts of the story/world were impressive, I just think there are better series out there and certainly better options for the big-screen treatment.
Verdict: 3 stars out of 5
Till next time,
DT
Monday, 9 June 2014
Get practising those penalties
With the World Cup only two days away it seems the perfect time for me to throw some completely pointless predictions your way. Which is code for "I can't think of anything else to write about today but this is at least semi-relevant"!
So now I proudly present *drum roll please* Tom's Completely Unreliable (Seriously Don't Put Any Money On These) World Cup Predictions
WINNERS
ARGENTINA
This Argentinian team has plenty going forward but is a bit suspect defensively. I've just got a feeling the magical Messi will finally light up a World tournament and Argentina will steal the biggest prize from right under their fiercest rivals noses.
RUNNERS UP
GERMANY
Ho-hum. Another World Cup, another ruthlessly efficient German side. Except this time they have real quality throughout and bags of experience. Never ever write the Germans off and particularly try to avoid going to penalties against them. Deadly.
LOSING SEMI FINALISTS
BRAZIL and SPAIN
Home advantage gets the Samba Boys as far as the Semi-Finals before they run into the might of the Germans and wilt under the pressure. Spain battle through a tough group but get undone by Messi and their winning run in major tournaments comes to an end.
WHERE DO ENGLAND GO OUT?
QUARTER FINALS
They battle to second in the group behind the Uruguayans and just about sneak past Columbia in the Second Round. However they meet the hosts in the Quarter Finals and go out in a similar manner to the 2002 World Cup, with a bit of a whimper as the heat catches up with them.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
NETHERLANDS, ITALY and PORTUGAL all fail to get out of tough groups. Netherlands get done over by the pace of Chile while Italy are ageing and can't slide past England and Uruguay. Portugal fall from the Group of Death as the USA sneak through to the Knockout Stages.
OVERACHIEVERS
CHILE get out of Group B in second after giving the Spanish a scare while BOSNIA finish second in Group F and get past the French, only to run into the Germans and exit at the Quarter Finals.
TOP GOAL SCORER
SERGIO AGUERO manages to stay fit for more than two days and benefits from everyone triple-marking Messi, who runs the show but lets someone else do the scoring.
OTHER TIDBITS
COSTA RICA and ALGERIA go home empty handed whilst only IVORY COAST and USA get out of the groups from outside Europe or South America.
So there you have it. A complete load of rubbish based on nothing but hunches, mis-information and terrible guesses. Except for the fact that England will not be featuring in the latter stages of this one, I reckon I can call that one now.
Till next time,
DT
So now I proudly present *drum roll please* Tom's Completely Unreliable (Seriously Don't Put Any Money On These) World Cup Predictions
WINNERS
ARGENTINA
This Argentinian team has plenty going forward but is a bit suspect defensively. I've just got a feeling the magical Messi will finally light up a World tournament and Argentina will steal the biggest prize from right under their fiercest rivals noses.
RUNNERS UP
GERMANY
Ho-hum. Another World Cup, another ruthlessly efficient German side. Except this time they have real quality throughout and bags of experience. Never ever write the Germans off and particularly try to avoid going to penalties against them. Deadly.
LOSING SEMI FINALISTS
BRAZIL and SPAIN
Home advantage gets the Samba Boys as far as the Semi-Finals before they run into the might of the Germans and wilt under the pressure. Spain battle through a tough group but get undone by Messi and their winning run in major tournaments comes to an end.
WHERE DO ENGLAND GO OUT?
QUARTER FINALS
They battle to second in the group behind the Uruguayans and just about sneak past Columbia in the Second Round. However they meet the hosts in the Quarter Finals and go out in a similar manner to the 2002 World Cup, with a bit of a whimper as the heat catches up with them.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
NETHERLANDS, ITALY and PORTUGAL all fail to get out of tough groups. Netherlands get done over by the pace of Chile while Italy are ageing and can't slide past England and Uruguay. Portugal fall from the Group of Death as the USA sneak through to the Knockout Stages.
OVERACHIEVERS
CHILE get out of Group B in second after giving the Spanish a scare while BOSNIA finish second in Group F and get past the French, only to run into the Germans and exit at the Quarter Finals.
TOP GOAL SCORER
SERGIO AGUERO manages to stay fit for more than two days and benefits from everyone triple-marking Messi, who runs the show but lets someone else do the scoring.
OTHER TIDBITS
COSTA RICA and ALGERIA go home empty handed whilst only IVORY COAST and USA get out of the groups from outside Europe or South America.
So there you have it. A complete load of rubbish based on nothing but hunches, mis-information and terrible guesses. Except for the fact that England will not be featuring in the latter stages of this one, I reckon I can call that one now.
Till next time,
DT
Friday, 6 June 2014
Waiting. For what?
Why is waiting for things such an odd experience? Especially when those things are answers that, to be brutally honest, won't really change anything once I have them?
I was supposed to get some test results back this week but for one reason or another they haven't been forthcoming yet. I'm assured that they will be forthcoming very soon but regardless of what the answer actually is, it shouldn't affect anything that greatly. It will be simply a measure of the degree of the problem rather than an acknowledgement of the problem and there won't really be anything I can do differently when I know what that degree is.
So why have I frozen? Why am I stuck in limbo, unable to really do anything constructive while I wait for someone to give me an answer which to all intents and purposes is irrelevant?! I should be simply pottering along with things and when the answer does finally come, it'll simply put a context around everything.
It shouldn't be life changing in itself. It won't drastically alter anything, the level of upheaval is already planned for and I doubt there will be any surprises. Yet I seem to be physically and mentally blocked by the fact that I don't have the answer yet. Why?
It can't be fear. I already know basically what is coming so I'm prepared for that. Or maybe it is fear? Maybe it is a deep-down fear that I think I can handle things but when the time comes maybe I can't. Or maybe it is a fear that when the answer comes then the whole thing will suddenly be real. Who knows?
There is obviously some anxiety around but not enough to render me essentially incapable!
I feel perfectly calm and relaxed, except the fact that my mind is inescapably sending me down the same set of thoughts every time I give it licence to roam. I wish they'd hurry up and tell me, yet I already know the answer.
So what precisely is it that I'm waiting for?!
Till next time,
DT
I was supposed to get some test results back this week but for one reason or another they haven't been forthcoming yet. I'm assured that they will be forthcoming very soon but regardless of what the answer actually is, it shouldn't affect anything that greatly. It will be simply a measure of the degree of the problem rather than an acknowledgement of the problem and there won't really be anything I can do differently when I know what that degree is.
So why have I frozen? Why am I stuck in limbo, unable to really do anything constructive while I wait for someone to give me an answer which to all intents and purposes is irrelevant?! I should be simply pottering along with things and when the answer does finally come, it'll simply put a context around everything.
It shouldn't be life changing in itself. It won't drastically alter anything, the level of upheaval is already planned for and I doubt there will be any surprises. Yet I seem to be physically and mentally blocked by the fact that I don't have the answer yet. Why?
It can't be fear. I already know basically what is coming so I'm prepared for that. Or maybe it is fear? Maybe it is a deep-down fear that I think I can handle things but when the time comes maybe I can't. Or maybe it is a fear that when the answer comes then the whole thing will suddenly be real. Who knows?
There is obviously some anxiety around but not enough to render me essentially incapable!
I feel perfectly calm and relaxed, except the fact that my mind is inescapably sending me down the same set of thoughts every time I give it licence to roam. I wish they'd hurry up and tell me, yet I already know the answer.
So what precisely is it that I'm waiting for?!
Till next time,
DT
Thursday, 5 June 2014
Carpe Diem
It is amazing the things which can get our heart racing and our blood pumping. Even something as simple as going on a new roller-coaster for the first time can have that effect. The slight trickle of fear, the buzz of anticipation and the sense of the unknown. They are the moments that make life what it is.
These are those fleeting seconds that have the potential to take our breath away but they are often lost in the humdrum drone of day-to-day existence. Why? And when we do encounter them and try to embrace them, do we truly understand how fortunate we are to be able to experience them?
When you stop to think about it, life itself is a miracle. The set of circumstances required to put us here and now is so staggeringly improbable that even Hollywood would describe it as a "bit far-fetched". Life is often described as a journey, not a destination, but do we honestly realise how fleeting a journey it might be? And why do we seem content to make our way "safely" through the journey to a destination that frankly I am in no hurry to get to? Can we honestly say we do justice to what we have? I know I have been as guilty as anyone in the past, and maybe I still am. Maybe I'm just kidding myself, it has often been mentioned that I talk a lot!!
But what is it that stops us from truly seizing the day, what holds us back? These moments that take your breath away, even for a second, should be embraced and grabbed onto with as many limbs as you can manage. Yet we often seem content to merely let them pass us by, afraid to grab on and shake every moment of happiness, exhilaration and joy out of them. We underplay them, we allow them to be overwhelmed by moments of frustration and anxiety.
Yes it might only be a simple roller-coaster with less than 2 minutes of varying emotions and feelings followed by a hope that your stomach rejoins you. But they are strong feelings, powerful emotions - these are the moments that are recalled when minds are allowed to wander. These moments are the ones that have tales told and songs sung about them. The intense moments, the powerful moments, the sensations of truly feeling alive are what matters.
Even those experiences that hurt so so deeply, those that feel like they will never stop aching - they should still be embraced for what they are. Yes they hurt, but that only shows that they matter, that they are important lessons and seminal experiences.
They are the moments that define our lives, they are the moments that elevate our senses and our feelings and they are the moments we (should) live for. We should look for these moments whenever possible; the ones that take your breath away and pull at your insides, for better and for worse.
Because what is the alternative? What is to be gained by not living for the moment, what can be achieved by safely navigating through this journey? We will all end up at the same destination eventually, why not take the bumpy route along the way?
Everyone's life is a story just waiting to be written, and tomorrow seems as good a time as any to get that first page done if you haven't yet. So search out those moments, embrace them when they come and make sure you live every second of them, the good and the bad.
To thoroughly overdo the latin;
Tempus fugit. Carpe diem cum poteris
Till next time,
DT
These are those fleeting seconds that have the potential to take our breath away but they are often lost in the humdrum drone of day-to-day existence. Why? And when we do encounter them and try to embrace them, do we truly understand how fortunate we are to be able to experience them?
When you stop to think about it, life itself is a miracle. The set of circumstances required to put us here and now is so staggeringly improbable that even Hollywood would describe it as a "bit far-fetched". Life is often described as a journey, not a destination, but do we honestly realise how fleeting a journey it might be? And why do we seem content to make our way "safely" through the journey to a destination that frankly I am in no hurry to get to? Can we honestly say we do justice to what we have? I know I have been as guilty as anyone in the past, and maybe I still am. Maybe I'm just kidding myself, it has often been mentioned that I talk a lot!!
But what is it that stops us from truly seizing the day, what holds us back? These moments that take your breath away, even for a second, should be embraced and grabbed onto with as many limbs as you can manage. Yet we often seem content to merely let them pass us by, afraid to grab on and shake every moment of happiness, exhilaration and joy out of them. We underplay them, we allow them to be overwhelmed by moments of frustration and anxiety.
Yes it might only be a simple roller-coaster with less than 2 minutes of varying emotions and feelings followed by a hope that your stomach rejoins you. But they are strong feelings, powerful emotions - these are the moments that are recalled when minds are allowed to wander. These moments are the ones that have tales told and songs sung about them. The intense moments, the powerful moments, the sensations of truly feeling alive are what matters.
Even those experiences that hurt so so deeply, those that feel like they will never stop aching - they should still be embraced for what they are. Yes they hurt, but that only shows that they matter, that they are important lessons and seminal experiences.
They are the moments that define our lives, they are the moments that elevate our senses and our feelings and they are the moments we (should) live for. We should look for these moments whenever possible; the ones that take your breath away and pull at your insides, for better and for worse.
Because what is the alternative? What is to be gained by not living for the moment, what can be achieved by safely navigating through this journey? We will all end up at the same destination eventually, why not take the bumpy route along the way?
Everyone's life is a story just waiting to be written, and tomorrow seems as good a time as any to get that first page done if you haven't yet. So search out those moments, embrace them when they come and make sure you live every second of them, the good and the bad.
To thoroughly overdo the latin;
Tempus fugit. Carpe diem cum poteris
Till next time,
DT
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Swim, Bike, Run
Copied directly from my Many Silly Adventures site, here is my review of Go Green Nantwich Super Sprint Triathlon - Tom's Silly Adventure #13. I'm too tired to attempt to write anything else!!
Challenge #13 was thankfully not an unlucky one, though it was absolutely baking hot when we kicked off at 12:45. The venue was cracking; an outdoor pool swim followed by a nice undulating ride around the Cheshire roads and finished off with a quick jaunt around the park.
It all worked well as there was a great space for friends and family to come and watch and it meant the run section was self-contained, which really helped when I was knackered towards the end!!
The swim was a bit crowded but that wasn't too difficult to overcome, plus it was pretty short for me so I didn't mind that much. The bike course isn't on closed roads but I didn't see a great deal of traffic on them. It undulates but won't test you much. The run course over the grass was the perfect finish, a nice little jog over the grassy park with very little elevation change. All in all, this is a pretty easy course but it is a good one.
The organisation of the event was great, really simple to register (made easier with only 830 participants) and well managed transition areas. Marshalls were superb out on the course and everyone was so friendly.
On to the important things; the T-Shirt and the medal!! Judge me if you want but an event with a good medal and T-Shirt will always rate more highly than one without. Medal is a cracker and the T-Shirt isn't too shabby; though it is an extra cost and it is not a tech T-Shirt which some people don't like so much.
So, overall, what was the verdict?
A cracking event; great organisation and a nice easy course which was exactly what I needed this week! I'll be back for the longer distance next year, though sun tan cream will be required.
Verdict: 4.5 stars out of 5
Till next time,
DT
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